I’ve always been awed by the Apostle Paul. God chose this one-time persecutor of Christians to spread the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire, a man eventually killed for his faith in the risen Christ.
Paul makes his first appearance in the Book of Acts. Known as Saul of Tarsus, a son of the tribe of Benjamin, he was present at the stoning of Stephen, a Christ follower:
At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. (Acts 7:57 and 58)
It’s profoundly significant and ironic that Paul witnessed the death of someone Christians consider to be the first martyr. Imagine what believers at that time had gone through, how confused they must have been. The wise man they’d given up everything to follow was now dead, one of their own having betrayed him. Jesus had told the group of eleven (minus the betrayer) that after he died and rose from the grave to stay in Jerusalem. “[W]ait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1: 4 and 5)
As promised, the Holy Spirit descended upon the men. This was the time of Pentecost, so Jews from all over the known world were in Jerusalem to worship. They heard the Israelites speaking in their own languages and were confused about what was going on. The men were sharing the Gospel, as it were, empowered by the spirit of God to speak in foreign languages they didn’t know so all the people could understand.
As the number of believers grew, so did persecution against them. Saul led the charge and hounded Christians, hunting them down and throwing them in prison. That’s why what happened next is profoundly significant in its own right and ironic in light of his hatred toward believers.
Sometimes Christians talk about their “Damascus” experience, the moment they saw the light and believed that Jesus was truly the Son of God. This is a reference to Paul’s conversion. On his way to Damascus to capture and imprison more Christ followers, this is what happened:
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
Paul did as he was told. Sometime later, “something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes,” and he began to preach Christ crucified, and the Jews he worked for now hunted after him. He tried to join the original disciples, but as expected, they were afraid and believed he was trying to trick them. I sometimes tear up when I think about that: a one-time persecutor of the group now wanted to be a part of the group. It’s awesome how God changes the heart.
So this was the beginning of Paul’s arduous journey, and he’d become one of the most prolific authors of Scripture as he wrote letters to the Christian churches. He preached in synagogues and eventually traveled throughout the Roman Empire spreading the Gospel. (See maps of his first, second, and third journeys.) Paul eventually was imprisoned and killed.
His letter to the Romans probably is the most important book in the New Testament. The book is short, but Paul teaches great truths about God’s grace and how Christians should live. For example, in Christ, people are no longer slaves to sin or the law, but live under grace. God’s judgment against sinners is righteous. God created government and appointed men over the people, so Christians should submit to the government by obeying the law, etc.
In Romans is where Paul said that believers were “more than conquerors” through Christ, able to withstand persecution because nothing can separate us from Christ’s love for us. Such thoughts leave me speechless.
For unbelievers, I suppose reading the Bible is like reading a piece of fiction or a collection of myths. The people are characters and the events merely part of the plot. But for those who believe the events really happened, and that God laid down the words for us and revealed himself in the pages of that book, the Bible is intimate. I can’t imagine a true believer reading it and not being moved by its beauty as God spoke through men and women of faith down through the ages. We are — I am — part of that family.
When I think about how unworthy I am of God’s grace, all I need to do is think of Paul’s miraculous conversion and how God used him. If God says a former persecutor of his people is worthy of his grace, then I suppose I am, too. 
[Clarification (1:47 p.m.): No matter how carefully or carelessly you blog, everything, and I mean everything, you write is subject to scrutiny and comment, whether major or minor. For instance, in response to my statement - "If God says a former persecutor of his people is worthy of his grace, then I suppose I am, too" - a commenter writes, "Paul was not 'worthy of His grace', and neither are you and neither am I. He chose to save us anyway, which makes it the more remarkable."
As much as I've blogged about God's grace and as often as I read the Bible, I'm fully aware it teaches that no one is worthy of God's grace, as the Faith category makes clear. Why I wrote otherwise, I don't know. Rushed blogging? But a slip of the public "pen" can bring loads of comments like that. So in an effort to head folks off at the pass, I ask you to read the statement for what it is: a clumsy way to say, "If God can use a man like Paul for such important work, he can use me for something important, too. 
]
Oh…by the way, archeologists may have found Paul’s remains. Whether true or not, I don’t think it matters. The “discovery” gives me and other believers an opportunity to share the Gospel.
(Painting: “The Conversion of Paul,” by Niccolò dell’Abbate)
Addendum: I wanted to say so much more about Paul, but I’m on my way out the door. Please disregard typos! They’ll be fixed later.
If you’ve blogged about the news of Paul’s remains, feel free to link-drop and trackback to this post.
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